Finnish startups entered 2026 with their weakest assessment of financial conditions since records began, as confidence fell across business performance, hiring plans and the wider economy. Data from the latest Startup Barometer showed the balance score for companies’ own financial situation dropped to 9.9 among members of the Finnish Startup Community, down from 14.8 in the previous quarter. Across the broader startup ecosystem, included for the first time, the figure stood at 4.8.